Thursday 19 July
Matthew 11:28-30
A good teacher knows how to command attention and adopts various techniques when the pupils’ concentration wanes. Jesus is no exception. Using paradox, he describes the ‘yoke’ of his gospel as ‘easy’ and his ‘burden’ as ‘light’. Unaccustomed as we are to pairing off these particular nouns and adjectives, we are jolted into stopping and pondering.
The song ‘He ain’t heavy – he’s my brother’ conveys the message that no journey is too long or too arduous for the singer, who will support his ‘brother’ all the way. The pain of abandoning someone close to us is poignantly illustrated by Captain R.F. Scott in his Antarctic journals (1912). Recording the death of ‘Taff’ Evans, the first of the party to be claimed by the elements, he writes, ‘It is a terrible thing to lose a companion here, to leave him here after all the miles we’ve sledged together.’
Jesus will never abandon us. He knows our lives are demanding and fretful, fraught with anxieties about work, housing, relationships, money, and that consequently we may have difficulty absorbing the nourishment of prayer, Scripture and the sacraments. People can be like pieces of elastic: stretched to their utmost limits one day; in a state of collapse the next.
Jesus’ ‘yoke’ is a whole way of life, discipleship and relationship with him. He demands of us willing service to the gospel, but rewards us with friendship and love. Our part of the bargain is a twofold pledge: to model our lives on his, and to enter wholeheartedly into a relationship with him.
The image of the yoke calls to mind two oxen pulling along side by side, in step with one another. Jesus walks beside us if we invite him into the rhythm of our lives. Sharing our burden, he befriends us on the journey and invites us to rest with him at close of day.
Discipleship and trust are key qualities needed. Enthusiasm for the Lord can see us through the ups and downs of life, focusing us and filling us with the light of his grace. The conviction that Jesus is beside us can calm our fears and encourage us to take the spiritual rest that we all need for a healthy and balanced life on this frenetically active planet.
Lord, may I always be aware of you beside me, not lifting but sharing my burdens, and helping me to bear with joy the yoke of discipleship.
Isaiah 26:7-9, 12, 16-19 • Psalm 101(102):13-21
Matthew 11:28-30
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